The Train and the Boats
by OliviaOwl13
Summary: Hey, guys. This is my fourth post, so I hope you like it. It's all about Albus Potter, Harry's kid. Blurb Albus feels completely nervous and scared at the prospect of going to Hogwarts, but once he arrives, there are more things to be nervous about: like Scorpio Malfoy and his cronies, not to mention being Sorted into houses. What if he doesn't get into Gryffindor? What then?


**The Train and the Boats**

Albus stared out the window of the train. The scenery flashing past was beautiful, but he wasn't taking it in at all. _What if I get into Slytherin? _he worried, turning it over and over in his head. _Mum and Dad'll be so disappointed. _

Then another voice inside his head piped up and said, _No, she won't! You already had this talk with them. Remember?_

Oh, he remembered that talk, alright. His parents had sat him down at the table and they'd had a long talk about the Sorting. "If you get into Gryffindor, we'll be absolutely thrilled for you," his dad had begun. Mum had cut him off there, saying, gently, "But if you get into Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin, we'll be just as happy for you as well."

Albus hadn't been convinced, and apparently his dad had noticed. As soon as mum had gotten up from the table and was gone, Dad had come over to him and whispered, "If you don't want to be in a certain house, you don't have to be. The Sorting Hat takes your choice into account." Albus couldn't have helped staring at him with wide eyes. "_Really?_"

His dad had nodded. "Really," he promised.

And now he was on the train, on his way to Hogwarts. Rose was Transfiguring 'Bertie Botts' Every Flavour Beans' into buttons before the others' very eyes. A moment earlier, Albus' new friend, Walter Manion, had opened his first Chocolate Frog and had successfully pinned it down. There had been cheers all round, and James had pulled out a pack of beans that made you make different sounds.

That was where he had tuned out, and started staring out the window. Night had started to fall, so when they finally reached the station and pulled on their robes, Albus guessed it was nearly ten o'clock.

Getting out on to the platform, he saw a gigantic figure making its' way towards them, holding a lantern. Most of the girls shrieked, (not Rose), and most of James' friends did, too, to James' apparent discomfort. "It's alrigh'," huffed the figure. "It's jus' me!"

Albus smiled. Hagrid had been employed at Hogwarts since his dad had gone to school, and before that. He was always great for a laugh, and owned a dog named Fang (despite his name, Fang was a 'bit o' a coward', according to Hagrid).

"Right'o then!" he huffed, pulling himself up a bit. "On we go!" As Albus passed Hagrid, he patted him on the back, saying, "Nice to see you settlin' in a bit, Albus," he said, his black eyes twinkling under the bushy beard.

A few minutes later, they had reached the boats. James hugged Rose and high-fived his brother before going to the carriages with the other year fours'. Boarding the boats, Albus found himself sharing one with Rose, Walter and one of the twins (he could never tell which was which).

Paddling turned out to be difficult. More than once, Hagrid had to wait for them while they paddled hard to catch up to the others. Once they were past him, he gave them a great big shove forwards, which worked, but eventually got them all soaked.

The boats docked, and as if my magic, stopped rocking as soon as Hagrid yelled, "Stop!"

Climbing out of the boats, he stared up at the castle. By day, Harry had said, it looked perfectly ordinary, though woes you if you got lost on your way to Transfiguration with McGonagall. By night, the castle was lit up from the inside, and by the time you got over how dominating it seemed, it was awesome.

He felt a hand cuff him on the back of the neck, nearly making him fall over. He turned around, and saw, with no surprise, that the person who had done it was Scorpio Malfoy. "Didn't see you there, Potter!" he said, mock-surprised. "I thought you were a tree stump!" He and his cronies (had he found some already?) started guffawing. Albus saw Rose glaring at Scorpio over Albus' head and pulled him forwards to join her and Walter on the steps next to the other first-years.

Hagrid banged once on the double doors with the doorknocker, and even though they were about five inches thick, Albus could've sworn he heard footsteps behind the doors.

A moment later, a witch with green velvet robes and hat on answered the door. "Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said, importantly. "These are t' first-years you wan'ed."

Professor McGonagall nodded, regally. "Thank you, Hagrid," she said. "You may go to the feast now." She opened the door a bit wider, and Hagrid walked past her, humming.

"First years!" she called, crisply. "This way, if you please." She opened the door and led all the first-years in to the entrance hall. As soon as the last student had entered, the doors swung shut.

"Here are the rules," she began. "You are about to enter the Great Hall, where we have our assemblies, meals, most important events, and such things. At the end of the Hall, there is a stool, and I expect all of you to make your way up there in a group and wait for me before it. All right - here are the rules of Hogwarts. As soon as you are Sorted into your Houses, you will go and be seated at that house's table. The four houses of Hogwarts are Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Slytherin." At this, a few people cheered quietly. McGonagall cast an eagle eye over them all, then resumed, "Your house will be like your family. You will eat meals with them, you will play or watch Quidditch with them and you will share a tower with them.

Any good behaviour or exceedingly good results and your House will gain points; any rule breaking, and you will lose points. I expect you all to know that at the end of the year, the House with the most points will be awarded the House Cup."

All the first-years nodded. "Good," McGonagall said, crisply. "Now, wait here. I will be back soon, in the meantime, chat amongst yourselves."

Albus felt the lump in his stomach grow bigger, even though he thought it was impossible. _So much pressure, _a mean voice taunted. _What if you get into Slytherin? Your family will be so disappointed... _

_NO! _Albus thought furiously. _Not Slytherin, I belong in Gryffindor. Gryffindor..._


End file.
